Behind Closed Doors
by kaibasgirlx
Summary: Because the grass is always greener on the other side.


**Behind Closed Doors**

"It's not fair!" The boy cried out. "He doesn't even look at me, and he's always praising her!"

"No, that's not true, you're a great Firebender!"

"Yeah, but it's always about Azula. Azula, Azula, Azula! She's the only one who ever performs in front of people, she's the only one who he spends time with, she's the only one-"

"Enough of this! Your father loves you, and I love you! Don't you ever forget that!"

The child's eyes filled with tears. "Do you really mean that?"

His mother nodded and pulled him into a hug.

"So why…" the young boy squeezed his eyes shut, as he buried his head in his mother's chest. "Why won't he train me too?"

-

The doors shut with a loud clang that reverberated throughout the room. Azula looked up at her father, smirking. She knew the routine.

"Show me what you've learnt." The man ordered from across her.

With confidence, the small girl walked to the center of the chamber and began a series of warm-up exercises. Taking a deep breath, she went into her first stance, executing the move flawlessly. She moved into the second stance with a fluid grace. Flames danced around her as she went through the motions, finally finishing off with a grand flourish. Looking up, she expected to see her father's pleased smile, only to find his disapproving frown.

Fear flashed in her eyes. What had she done wrong? Her mind went through the drills she'd just performed. Had something been off? No, everything was done perfectly.

"Azula," her father began in his deep throaty tones, hands behind his back. The young girl felt her sense of foreboding increase, though she did her best to hide it.

"Yes, daddy?" She replied, cursing the slight tremor she had been unable to mask.

"What is it that I taught you about Firebending?" His voice had gone quieter.

Azula relaxed slightly. She knew this verbatim. "Never lose control. A Firebender must always leave his emotions behind when commanding the flame. Precision and accuracy is the key, if one ever truly wants to master the element."

"And what were you doing?" His voice was soft, almost a whisper, and it echoed around the vast and empty room. This seemed to scare Azula more then had he been shouting.

"I…" she wracked her brains. The moves were executed faultlessly; her stances were impeccable, and her breathing just as he had taught her. She couldn't find anything wrong, yet she knew if she didn't respond, things would be indefinitely worse. "I was…I wasn't fast enough…?"

It was an educated guess, and she regretted it immediately. There was a long and pregnant pause.

"NO!" Her father roared, flames erupting around him. Azula jumped in fright, but resisted the painful urge to step backwards, or simply turn and run out of the room. She knew from experience this only made things worse.

"You…" her father advanced slowly towards her. "Were showing…OFF!"

Azula's heart jumped to her throat as she remembered the way she had ended. She had allowed the fire to flare as she curtseyed.

"I-I-" Azula bit her tongue. This was the worst time to stutter. She couldn't show terror, she couldn't show how scared she was inside. "I thought you would-would enjoy it."

"Enjoy it…" her father repeated, and his voice went back to its low, gravelly pitch. "Yes, how thoughtful of you, Azula."

The girl felt the tightness in her chest loosen as he touched her head briefly. She smiled and closed her eyes, letting out the breath she'd been holding.

The sigh caught in her throat, however, as the man delivered a ringing slap to her tender cheek.

Azula stumbled backwards, completely caught off-guard. Too stunned to speak, she could only stare up at the approaching figure, eyes wide with shock.

"Never," he said forcefully, when he was standing before her once more. "Allow your emotions to tell you what to do! Now perform the stances for me again!"

Dutifully, she repeated the process; only this time she had trouble. She stumbled a bit when shifting from one position into the next, the fire was not nearly as strong as it should have been, and breathing was difficult.

When she finished, she cowered in fear, knowing she had just displeased him even more.

"I see." He spoke at last, after a long and torturous silence. "You are a disgrace to me."

He turned and began walking away, as the girl stared after him in distress.

"Wait! Please father, give me another chance! I won't disappoint you!" She cried desperately.

He did not stop, but continued striding purposefully towards the doors. Azula's panic was mounting. The fact that her father thought she was a failure was too much for her. She was his protégé, his special girl. She couldn't disappoint him; she couldn't let him think she was worthless. She was a prodigy child, named for her grandfather, the Fire Lord!

She knew what she had to do. Taking a deep breath, she pushed away all feeling and took aim.

Just as her father's hand reached for the handle, a jet of flame shot out, almost singeing his clothes. The man stopped, turning slowly to face his daughter.

"You dare attack…_me_?"

For a moment, Azula took an uncertain step backwards, as her determined expression faltered. Then she took a deep breath, settling back into her stance, holding herself tall and proud, chin up and defiant.

"Father, please, allow me one more chance to prove my worth to you." She sank into a kneeling position, head bowed before him.

After a short pause, he motioned for her to rise, and nodded his head.

She began. For the third time that day, she went through the performance, only now, it was different. Everything had a cold, calculating precision to it. Nothing was off, and when she was finished, she bowed before him once more.

There was silence, as the small girl stole a glance at her father. It was hard to read his expression, as it was neither smiling nor frowning. At last, he spoke.

"Stand up, my daughter, for you have redeemed yourself."

Azula smiled and did so.

"However, you have yet to control your emotions. Next week we will have another lesson, and I have a special task for you."

"Yes daddy?" The girl asked with pride.

The man's lips curved slightly in a smile. "I want you to find something you cherish. Something that is very close and dear to your heart. When we meet here again, I want you to bring it with you."

With that, he left the room. The heavy metal door swung shut, and its sound had an ominous ring to it, as it echoed in the empty chamber.

Azula sat down and leaned against the wall, drawing her knees up to her chest. She knew why her father wanted something that was important to her; she knew what he was going to do.

She didn't want to listen…

Closing her eyes, she brought a hand up and lightly touched her cheek. A tear slipped out.

…But she had to.

A/N:_ Borne of my conversations with **Forlorn Maiden**. This is dedicated to her. Azula is about five in this story, and Zuko is about six/seven. Please review._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender._

_Téa_


End file.
